Krassimira Stoyanova

Soprano Krassimira Stoyanova is an internationally prominent singer but is particularly associated with the Vienna State Opera. She has made several well-regarded recital albums for the Orfeo label. Stoyanova was born in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, on August 16, 1962. Her first instrument was the violin, which she studied at first locally and then at the Plovdiv Music Academy, where she added voice courses and finally switched to voice exclusively. Stoyanova made her debut in 1995 at Bulgaria's Sofia National Opera House, where she then sang a variety of roles. Her repertory emphasizes Italian opera, but she is identified with the title role in Halévy's French opera La Juive and has also sung German and Eastern European works. She is familiar with several lesser-known works, including Verdi's La battaglia di Legnano. Stoyanova began to perform at the Vienna State Opera in 1998, becoming a fixture of the company's productions. In 2009, she received the title of Kammersängerin from the Austrian government, a national honor, that for centuries, has denoted operatic accomplishment. Stoyanova has also appeared at many of the world's other top opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Covent Garden in London. She has also been a frequent guest at Austria's Salzburg Festival, appearing there for the first time in 2003. Stoyanova is in demand as a singer in major 19th century concert works, including Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, and Verdi's Requiem. She also gives song recitals, performing, among other works, Richard Strauss' Vier letzte Lieder. Stoyanova made her recording debut on the Gega label with Sogno d'or, an album of Puccini songs. She recorded two operatic recitals, I Palpiti d'Amor and Verdi, for the Orfeo label and has been heard in several recordings of complete operas. In 2019, she was heard in a live recording of Verdi's Requiem in Dresden, conducted by Christian Thielemann, and she has collaborated over the years with many of the world's other top conductors. ~ James Manheim